CONSTANTINOPLE

A certain women by the name of Eusebia,
a deacon of the Macedonian sect, had a house and garden in the front walls of
Constantinople.

Amproukla

Literary source

John Chrystotom, Letters 96,103, 101

Date

404 AD

Place of Deacon

Constantinople

Sample text/quote from
source

Letter 191: To Amproukla
deacon.

Letter 96 and 103:  To Amproukla
deacon and those (women) with her.

Saint Olympias

Literary source

1.Anonymous author  Life of Olympias (6)

2. Palladius, Dialogue on the Life of John Chrysostom
(10.50-67)

3. Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History (8.9)

Date

5th century AD

Place of Deacon

Constantinople

Olympias was a friend of St John Chrysostom. She
was ordained a deacon by him and was put in charge of all the
deacons assigned to the great Church of St Sophia in Constantinople. She
supported John when he was exiled by the Emperor on false charges. John
addressed his letters to her as: “the reverend God-Loved deacon
Olympias”.

Sample text/quote from
source

1.Then by the divine will she was
ordained deacon of the holy and great Typechurch of NameGod and built a
monastery at the south corner of it..

2. Going into the baptistery, he (John
Chrysostom) called Olympias, who was constantly in the church, with, Pentadia
and Procla, that is, the three deacons (diakonai), and also Silvina,
wife of the blessed Nebridius..

3. For this woman (Olympias) was from a
prominent family and although she was a young widow living a virtuous life
according to the law of the church, Nectarius (her) deacon.

Feast Day

July 25

Elisanthia, Martyria, and
Palladia

Literary source

Life of Olympias (c. 7)

Date

395-419 AD

Place of Deacon

Constantinople

Sample text/quote from
source

He also ordained (cheirotonei)
deacons (diakonus) of the holy Church her three relatives,
Elisanthia, Martyria, and Palladia for the monastery, so that by the four
diaconal services (diakonia), the established procedure might be carried
on by them unbroken and without interruption.

Celerina

Literary source

Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Sirm. Letter101

Date

448 AD

Place of Deacon

Constantinople

Sample text/quote from
source

To Celerina
deacon.

St Irene

City or Province

Constantinople

Date

9th century

Details from biographies

St. Irene of Chrysovalantou

It was intended that she wed the Emperor, but she went to the
monastery of Chrysovalantou, and immediately engaged herself in vigils and
prayer. She then replaced the Abbess very early on, and increased her spiritual
struggles, with great trust in God to guide the community properly. She was
noted as a worker of miracles and for her holiness of life.

Feast Day in liturgical calendar

July 28

BITHYNIA & PONTUS

Two women deacons

Literary source

Pliny the Younger, Epistle to Trajan

Date

110 AD

Place of Deacon

Bithynia & Pontus

Sample text/quote from
source

during the persecution of Christian groups

I believed it was necessary to find out from
two female slaves (ex duabus ancillis) who were called deacons
(ministrae) what was true  and to find out by torture (per
tormenta).

St Macrina

City or Province

Annisa, (Annesi), Pontus

Date

324 - 379 AD

Details from biographies

St. Macrina,
the great teacher Macrina was the eldest of ten
children, sister of the great Cappadocian Church leaders Sts Basil the Great,
Gregory of Nyssa and Peter of Sebaste. Gregory has left a description of her
life. First she looked after the rest of her family. Then she founded a
monastery.at Annisa of Pontus. In the Orthodox calendar she is venerated as a
deacon.

Feast Day in liturgical calendar

July 19

Lampadion of Annesi

Literary source

Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Macrina

Date

4th Century

Place of Deacon

Annesi

Sample text/quote from
source

There was one in the diaconal rank who was
leader of the choir of virgins, Lampadion by name, who said she knew exactly
what Macrina wanted for her burial.

"Here rests
the ever-remembered servant of Christ, Aeria, who was a deacon of the holy
ones, friend of all. She came to rest in the tenth Indiction in the month of
January, being thirty years old, in the year 594. God-bearer[help?]."

Basilike

Source

Neoclaudiopolis in Pontus, a marble plaque embedded
into a wall of the church

Greek text

Translation

"[Deaco]ness Basilike lies here."

Matrona (of Cosila)

Literary source

Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History 7.21

Date

379 AD

Place of Deacon

Cosila in Bithynia

Sample text/quote from
source

The only one who opposed the move was
Matrona, a holy virgin, who was its deacon and guardian.

CAPPADOCIA

Daughters of Count Terentius

Literary source

Basil of Caesarea, Letter105

Date

372 AD

Place of Deacon

Cappadocia

Sample text/quote from
source

To the deacons, daughters of
Count Terentius.

St Theosebia (of Nyssa)

City or Province

Nyssa

Date

Died 385 AD

Details from biographies

St. Theosebia.

She was the wife of St Gregory of Nyssa, the Doctor
of the Church. She was ordained as a deacon after her husband had been
ordained a bishop in 371, and she remained with him during his ministry and
shared it with him. She had a great influence upon her husband and she herself
was known as a great teacher of the faith, also by her example of the Christian
life.

Feast Day in liturgical calendar

January 10

St Gorgonia

City or Province

Nazianze

Time when she lived

approx. 330 - 369 AD

Details from biographies

St. Gorgonia

She was the daughter of Bishop St Gregory of
Nazianze and St Nonna. She married and had three children. She dedicated her
life to the study of scripture. She was ordained a deacon and developed
a ministry to the needy by opening her house to the poor to feed them and
provide shelter. She lived in fourth- century Bithynia.

Feast Day in liturgical calendar

February 23

St Nonna (of Nazianze)

City or Province

Nazianze Asia Minor

Time when she lived

about 290 - 374 AD

Details from biographies

St. Nonna, wife of St. Gregory, Bishop of Nazianze

Born around 290 in Cappadocia (now part of Turkey)
she married Gregory and converted him to Christianity. He went on to become a
Bishop and they had three children who all became saints. By her example of
Christian living and her ministry as a deacon she set an example of what
it is to be a mother and Christian minister.

Feast Day in liturgical calendar

August 5

Maria (of Archelais)

Source

inscription on grey marble stone, from
Cappadocia.

Date

Sixth century

Greek text

Translation

"Here lies
Maria the deacon of pious and blessed memory who, according to the saying of
the Apostle, raised children, exercised hospitality, washed the feet of the
saints, and distributed her bread to the needy. Remember her, Lord, when she
enters into your kingdom."

Basilina

Literary source

Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of John the Hesychast
218.21-219.7; 219.19-220.4

Date

543-558 AD

Place of Deacon

Cappadocia

Sample text/quote from
source

A certain woman from Cappadocia named
Basilina, a deacon of the great church of Constantinople, came to Jerusalem
with a high-ranking nephew who was otherwise devout but not in communion with
the Catholic Church, since he belonged to the Severan sect. The deacon was
trying hard to change his mind and bring him into union with the Catholic
Church . . .

Dionysia (of Melitene)

Literary source

Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of Saint Euthymius (8.20-9.9;
10.5-14; 10.22-11.2)

Date

543- 558 AD

Place of Deacon

Melitene in Cappadocia

Sample text/quote from
source

But blessed Dionysia, since she was so
devoted to God and the things of God, he ordained deacon of the holy
church. (10.22-11.2)

CARIA

Eusebia (of Mylasa), also called
Xene

Literary source

Caria, Vita Sanctae Eusebiae (5th century)

Date

1st century AD (according to
story)

Place of Deacon

Mylasa in Caria Province

Sample text/quote from
source

After a long time when the bishop Cyril
died in the Lord, the elected in his the lord Paul, and he was ordained bishop
of that place. So going into the womens monastery, the lord Paul
persuaded lady Xene and ordained her deacon
(diakonon).

Arete

Source

votary inscriptionfrom Aphrodisias in
Caria

Greek text

Translation

"[In fulfillment of ] a
vow of Theodorus and Arete [his])daughter, deaconess."

"... [if you
want to know] who lies here peacefully, of distinguished life and shining ways,
who lived a long time [or, who lived fully], unstained in judgment, dripping
divine grace, completely reverent, of honored habits, who obtained the honor of
the diaconate (diakonia), with brilliantly shining reputation.
Simplicius is the name [of the one who placed her here], with [his] sister and
children much loved in many ways. We rejoice eternally . . ."

GALATIA

Domna

Source

funerary inscription

Greek text

Translation

"Domna deacon, daughter
of Theophilos the presbyter, set up the memorial to her own father-in-law Miros
and to her husband Patroklos."

Here lies the
honorable(timeios?) and reverend (geraros?), most pious presbyter Joulianos,
whose memorial his own wife Agousta erected, and the presbyter Hypatis and the
deacon Philogonis erected to their own father, in loving memory."

LYCAONIA

Basilissa

Source

funerary inscription from Iconium in Lycaonia

Greek text

Translation

"Quintus, son of
Heraclius, first man of the village, with his wife Matrona and children
Anicetus and Catilla, lie here in the tomb. The wife of Anicetus, the deacon
Basilissa, erected the pleasant tomb with her only son Numitorius, still a
child."

Goulasis

Source

inscription, from Cesme in ancient
Lycaonia

Image

Greek text

Translation

"Aurelius Loukios and
Aurelia Vaca in memory of their sweetest sister Goulasis
deaconess."

"Aurelia Nestoriane with my son
Domnus set up this inscription to my sweetest husband, Euethios as a memorial.
Magna the most pious deacon. Now I also signify death; swallowed up along with
Paulos and Chrysanthos, I left behind the end of
life.."

Masa

Source

inscription on bluish limestone from ancient Laodicea Combusta in
Phrygia

"Paula,
deacon most blessed of Christ. She built me as tomb of her beloved brother
Helladius, outside the homeland, constructed of stones as guardian of the body until the terrible
sound of the trumpet wakes the dead as God has
promised."